Apparatus for transporting and cleaning bobbins or the like



H. SCHERR March 19, 1968 APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING AND CLEANING BOBBINS OR THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 10, 1966 In ven tor:

Her/n n; in

March 19, 1968 H. SCHERR 3,373,552

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING AND CLEANING BOBBINS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 10, 1966 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5g 54 560 M fifi F/ 4 g Q lllh 4 55 58 VIIIIIIIIII, o 0 53 56a 1 53 55a 1 krv 51 a 5 Hg. 5

Inventor:

March 19, 1968 H. SCHERR 3,373,552

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING AND CLEANING BOBBINS OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 10, 1966 v I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 b 9 lg Inventor: Hermann 5 14- wwd man tates Patent C) 3,373,552 APPARATUS FOR TRANSiGRTING AND CLEANENG BOBBINS GK THE LIKE Hermann Scherr, Ehersbach (Fits), Germany, assignor to Zinser-Textiirnachinen Gesellschaft rnit heschraenhter Haftnng, Ebersbach (Fils), Germany Filed Set. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,489

Claims priority, application Germany, Get. 8, 1965,

20 Claims. (Cl. 57-56) The present invention relates to textile machines in general, and more particularly to an apparatus for transporting full bobbins, tubes or barrels of bobbins and holders for such barrels in a spinning frame or in a twister. Still more particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for removing dust, fly, lint and other small foreign matter from bobbins and/or their supports during travel of supports to a loading station or during travel of bobbins to an evacuating station.

It is an important object of the invention to provide an apparatus for transporting bobbins and/ or their supports in such a way that each successive bobbin and/or support may be automatically cleaned during travel to or from the location where the bobbins are formed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which contributes to more reliable operation of a spinning frame or twister by preventing foreign matter from interfering with transfer of bobbins onto or from their supports.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the just outlined characteristics which can be readily installed in many presently known textile machines.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a bobbin transporting and cleaning apparatus which can be operated in a fully automatic way, which consumes little energy, and which can clean bobbins or their supports at the same rate of speed at which the bobbins must be evacuated from the bobbin forming station.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can deliver dust and lint-free bobbins to the evacuating station of a spinning frame, twister or an analogous textile machine despite the fact that such bobbins are produced in an area where the air is laden with small particles of foreign matter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel control system which can be utilized in the above outlined apparatus.

Briefly stated, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a textile machine, particularly a spinning frame or twister, which comprises conveyor means including a conveying element provided with a plurality of preferably equidistant holders, for example, mandrels adapted to carry barrels of bobbins, and arranged to travel past a loading station where the barrels are applied to successive or selected holders and an evacuating station where the bobbins formed on such barrels are removed from the respective holders, and a pneumatic cleaning unit adjacent to the path of travel of the holders and comprising means for generating and directing air streams in a direction against the holders to thereby separate from the holders, barrels or bobbins dust, fiy, lint and/ or other solid impurities.

The cleaning unit may be located upstream of the loading station so that the air streams impinge directly against successive holders. Alternatively, the cleaning unit may be located upstream of the evacuating station so that the air streams impinge against the bobbins or barrels. If the cleaning unit is disposed between the two stations and the conveyor means is arranged to move its holders in a first direction to evacuate full bobbins and thereupon in a second direction to receive barrels, such cleaning unit may be used for separation of foreign matter from holders as well as for separation of foreign matter from barrels and/or bobbins.

The cleaning unit may operate with compressed air and/or with suction. It may comprise a single nozzle which discharges jets of compressed air, two or more such nozzles, and/or one or more suction heads which draw air from the area surrounding the adjoining holder or barrel to separate and to simultaneously collect foreign matter.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved cleaning unit itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic elevational view of a cleaning unit with two nozzles which embodies one form of my invention, the belt of the conveyor which transports mandrels and bobbins past the nozzles being shown in transverse vertical section;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a second cleaning unit which comprises a single nozzle and is further provided with means for evacuating dust and other foreign matter which is removed from the parts carried by the conveyor;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a third cleaning unit which comprises a single nozzle arranged to direct air streams against successive mandrels;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a fourth cleaning unit with two nozzles each of which performs a different function, and further showing a control circuit which regulates the admission of air to the nozzles;

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate certain details of a modified control circuit;

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a further cleaning unit which is provided with a movable nozzle; and

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of a spinning frame which embodies a cleaning unit of the present invention, the cleaning unit being shown schematically between a pair of stations at one of which the mandrels receive empty barrels for delivery to the spindles of the spinning frame and at the other of which full bobbins are removed from successive mandrels.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to FIG. 8, there is shown a portion of a spinning frame comprising a rail 96 for a series of equidistant spindles 91 each of which carries an empty barrel or tube 7. In the course of the next-following spinning operation, each of the barrels 7 will be provided with a supply of convoluted yarn to form therewith a full bobbin 6. Some of the bobbins 6 which were produced in the course of the preced- 3 ing spinning operation are supported by a conveyor 93. The transfer of full bobbins 6 from the spindles 91 onto the conveyor 93 and the transfer of barrels 7 onto empty spindles 91 is carried out by means of an automatic transfer machine of the type disclosed, for example, in Argentine Patent No. 149,100.

The conveyor 93 comprises a conveying or transporting element here shown as an endless conveyor band or belt 1 trained around an idler roller 2a and a driven roller 2 so that its stringers extend in parallel horizontal planes. The belt 1 carries a row of equidistant mandrels or holders 4 each adapted to support a full bobbin 6 or a barrel 7. The distance between each pair of adjoining mandrels 4 equals half the distance between a pair of adjoining spindles 91. During transportation of full bobbins 6, the upper stringer of the belt 1 travels in the direction indicated by an arrow A so that the mandrels 4 move seriatim past an evacuating or removing station 94 where the bobbins 6 are removed in a fully automatic way by resorting to conventional dofiing machinery. When all of the bobbins 6 are removed, the empty mandrels 4 extend downwardly from the lower stringer of the belt 1. In the next step, the belt 1 is caused to advance in the opposite direction (arrow B) so that the mandrels 4 advance seriatim past the evacuating station 94 and thereupon past a loading or charging station 95 where each second mandrel receives a barrel 7. The machinery for automatically applying barrels 7 onto successive mandrels 4 during travel of such mandrels past the loading station 95 is known and forms no part of the present invention. The barrels 7 are thereupon transferred from the mandrels 4 onto the spindles 91 and freshly formed bobbins 6 are transferred from the spindles onto the mandrels before the belt 1 again advances in the direction inclicated by the arrow A.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the spinning frame of FIG. 8 further comprises a pneumatic cleaning unit 96 which is located between the stations 94, 95 so as to be upstream of the station 94 when the belt 1 moves in the direction indicated by arrow A and to be located upstream of the station 95 when the belt travels in the opposite direction (arrow B). In this way, the cleaning unit can remove from successive mandrels 4 dust, lint, fiy and other small foreign matter before such mandrels receive empty barrels 7 at the loading station 95, and the cleaning unit can also separate dust or other foreign matter from full bobbins 6 before such bobbins reach the evacuating station 94.

The cleaning unit 96 may be constructed and assembled in a number of ways, and FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, -6 and 7 illustrate six embodiments of this cleaning unit. In FIG. 1, the cleaning unit comprises two fixed nozzles 10, 11 which are adjacent to the opposite sides of the path of travel of successive mandrels 4 and bobbins 6 and are provided with one or more orifices arranged to direct jets of compressed air transversely across the path of mandrels 4 so as to separate from the mandrels or from the bobbins 6 all such small particulate matter which accumulates thereon during travel away from and back to the cleaning station. The cleaning unit of FIG. 1 is particularly suited for cleaning of bobbins 6 because its nozzles 10, 11 can distribute streams of air along the full length of each successive bobbin. The nozzles 10, 11 are disposed at a level above and close to the driven roller 2 which is mounted on a driver shaft 99a journalled in bearings 97, 98. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the nozzles 10, 11 are mirror symmetrical with reference to the plane of the mandrels 4 and their orifices are slightly spaced from the outermost convolutions of yarns or filaments on the bobbins 6. The means for generating currents of air which are thereupon directed by the nozzles 10, 11 comprises a motor-driven blower 12 having an outlet connected with a pressure pipe 17:: having branches 17b, 170 which respectively convey compressed air to the nozzles 10 and 11. The suction intake of the blower 12 is connected with a filter box 14 containing a suitable filter 15. An air fiow regulating valve 20 in the pressure pipe 17a is rotatable between the fully open position of FIG. 1 and a plurality of additional positions including a closed position. The operating means for rotating the valve 20 comprises an electromagnet 22 whose armature 22a is coupled to a lever 20a of the valve 20. The leads 59 connect the winding of the electromagnet 22 in circuit with a source of electrical energy. The manner in which the circuit of the electromagnet 22 can be completed at predetermined intervals to insure that the nozzles 10, 11 will discharge jets of air only when a bobbin 6 passes therebetween will be described in connection with FIG. 4. It suflices to say here that the blower 12 can be driven continuously but that the valve 20 is moved to open position only when a bobbin 6 passes across the gap between the orifices of the nozzles 10 and 11. However, it is equally possible to start and arrest the blower 12 at regular intervals, particularly if the belt 1 travels intermittently.

The modified cleaning unit of FIG. 2 comprises a single nozzle 24 whose orifice or orifices direct jets of air against successive bobbins 6 on the mandrels 4 of the conveyor belt 1. The second nozzle is replaced by a suction head 26 which is located diametrically opposite the orifices of the nozzle 24 and collects foreign matter which has been separated from the bobbins 6 and/or mandrels 4. The blower 12' is connected with the nozzle 24 by a pressure pipe 17a and the outlet of the suction head 26 is connected with a suction pipe 28. Since the suction head 26 receives a substantial percentage of air which is blown by the nozzle 24, such air can be recirculated again and again. The discharge end of the suction pipe 28 is connected with a rotary drum shaped filter 3t surrounding a baffle 31. The filter 30 rotates in a counterclockwise direction and intercepts dust, lint, fly and other solid particulate matter which passes along a sealing roll 3-3 and descends into a collecting receptacle 35. A supply pipe 37 connects one axial end of the filter 30 with the intake of the blower 12'.

It is clear that the cleaning units of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used with equal advantage for removing foreign matter from empty mandrels 4 and/or from barrels 7. However, for the sake of economy, the cleaning unit of the present invention may comprise one or more separate nozzles for directing air streams against the mandrels 4 so that the mandrels and the bobbins 6 are cleaned at separate points of the path defined by the belt 1. The nozzle or nozzles which clean the mandrels 4 are preferably operated at regular intervals, i.e., whenever a mandrel 4 passes therealong or comes to a halt adjacent to such separate nozzle or nozzles.

A portion of a cleaning unit which comprises a separate nozzle 40 for empty mandrels 4 is shown in FIG. 3. This nozzle 46 can be installed directly to the right of the loading station shown in FIG. 8 so that each empty mandrel 4 which has advanced beyond the driven roller 2 (arrow B) must thereupon travel past the orifice or orifices of the nozzle 40 and on toward the spindles 91 on the rail 90. The means for generating a stream of air which is supplied to the nozzle 40 comprises a compressor 43 which is driven by an electric motor 42 and discharges into a pressure tank 44 having a pressure pipe 46 which is connected with the nozzle 40. The pipe 46 contains a regulating valve 45 whose arm 48a is rotatable by an armature 49a in response to or against the bias of a return spring 48. The armature 4911 forms part of an electromagnet 49 having leads 58 connecting it in circuit with certain control elements and with a source of electrical energy in a manner to be described in connection with FIG. 4. The spring 48 tends to maintain the valve 45 in closed position but this valve will open in automatic response to energization of the electromagnet 49.

The cleaning operation can be carried out while the Conveyor belt 1 is at a standstill or while the belt travels past the cleaning station. The strength of air streams which are discharged by the nozzles -11, 24 or can be readily selected in such a way that all foreign matter is removed from mandrels 4, barrels 7 and/or bobbins 6 while the respective parts continue to advance past such nozzles.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a cleaning unit which embodies certain features of the cleaning unit of FIG. 1 and the structure of FIG. 4. The nozzle 40 is used to clean the mandrels or holders 4, and the nozzle 11 serves to remove foreign particulate matter from successive bob-bins 6. The bobbins 6 on the conveyor belt 1 alternate with empty mandrels 4 so that the nozzle 40 must be idle when the nozzle 11 discharges a stream of air, and vice versa. These nozzles are disposed at the opposite sides of the pathway of mandrels 4 and may but need not be mirror symmetrical with reference to the plane in which the mandrels travel. The pressure pipes (170 and 46) which convey compressed air to the nozzles 11, 40 are not shown, but FIG. 4 illustrates the aforementioned electromagnets 22 and 49 which regulate the flow of compressed air through such pressure pipes. The means for timing the opening of valves 20, comprises two mechanical detectors or sensing elements 56b, 56a which extend into the pathway of projections or pins 51, 50 provided along the edges of the belt 1 and distributed in the same way as the bobbins 6 and mandrels 4, respectively. The detector 561) constitutes the trip of a normally open switch 54 which is connected in circuit with the electromagnet 22 (see the leads 59 in FIG. 4) so that, and provided that certain other switches are closed at the same time, the electromagnet 22 is enerized and moves the valve 20 to open position whereby the nozzle 11 discharges a stream of air to clean the adjoining bobbin 6. Of course, the position of the detector 56b with reference to the nozzle 11 is selected in such a Way that the detector is engaged by a projection 51 at the exact moment when the next-following bobbin 6 is adjacent to or advances into registry with the nozzle 11. The terminals 98 shown inFIG. 4 denote the points where the electromagnet 22 and switch 54 are connected with a suitable source of electrical energy. The circuit of the electromagnet 22 and switch 54 will be held in open condition when the conveyor belt 1 advances in the direction indicated by arrow B. However, this circuit is ready when the belt 1 advances in the opposite direction (arrow A).

The leads 58 connect the electromagnet 49 for the valve 45 of the nozzle 46 in circuit with a second normally open switch 53 which closes in response to engagement between the detector 56a and one of the projections 50 while the belt 1 advances in the direction indicated by the arrow B. The terminals 98 are connected with a source of electrical energy. The distribution of projections 50 corresponds to the distribution of mandrels 4.

The control circuit of FIG. 4 further comprises three interconnected two-way switches 61, 62 and 63. When the switch 61 completes the circuit of the electromagnet 49 and switch 53, the switch 62 opens the circuit of the electromagnet 22 and switch 54. It will be seen that FIG. 4 shows the circuit of the electromagnet 22 in open position because the belt 1 is assumed to advance in the direction indicated by the arrow B so that the nozzle 40 cleans successive mandrels 4. The switch 63 controls a reversible electric motor 65 which drives the shaft 99a of the driven roller 2 through a transmission 99 here shown as comprising a worm and a worm wheel. When the switches 61-63 are moved to the other end positions, the motor 65 drives the belt 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow A and the nozzle 11 cleans each successive bobbin 6. The switch 63a is a master switch and serves to open or complete the circuit of the motor 65. This latter circuit further includes terminals 98" which are connected to a source of electrical energy. I The stations 94 and 95 are indicated in FIG. 4 by 6 phantom lines. The position of the switches 61-63 may be reversed manually or automatically.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate certain details of a modified control circuit. The belt 1 need not be provided with projections 50 and 51 because the detectors 56a, 56b are positioned to track the mandrels 4 and the bobbins 6, respectively. In FIG. 5, the detector 56b has engaged the adjoining bobbin 6 and the valve 20 has been moved to open position in the same way as described in connection with FIG. 4. The circuit of the detector 56a is opened by the switch 61. In FIG. 6, the circuit of the detector 56b is opened by the switch 52 but the switch 61 is held in the position shown in FIG. 4 so that the detector 56a brings about energization of the electromagnet 49 as soon as it engages the adjoining mandrel 4.

It will be readily understood that the mechanical detectors 56a, 56b can be replaced by other types of detectors which need not come in actual contact with projections 50, 51, bobbins 6 and/or mandrels 4. For example, the control circuit of FIG. 4 may comprise photoelectric cells or analogous detecting devices. The electromagnets 22 and 49 constitute servos or operating means for the valves 20, 45 and can be replaced by other types of servo devices, for example, by hydraulic or pneumatic operating means.

Each of the blowing nozzles 10, 11 and 24 has a single elongated orifice or one or more elongated rows of orifices so that each thereof may direct jets of air against the adjoining bobbin 6 from the nose and all the way to the heel. These nozzles can be fixedly mounted in the cleaning unit. In order to achieve savings in compressed air, each of these nozzles may be mounted in such a way that its discharge end travels lengthwise between the nose and heel of the adjoining bobbin in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 7. This illustration shows a nozzle Sil having at one of its ends a small orifice 86a which directs compressed air against the adjoining bobbin 6. The rear end of the nozzle '86 is mounted in brackets 81 and is rockable about a horizontal axis (i.e., at right angles to the axis of the bobbin 6). This rear end is connected with a flexible hose 117 which replaces one of the aforementioned pressure pipes 17a, 17a or 46. The means for moving the orifice 89a up and down (see the double-headed arrow C) comprises a linkage 82 connected to an eccentric pin 32a provided on a disk 82b mounted on the output shaft 83a of an electric motor 83. The terminals 84 are connected with a source of electrical energy. It will be seen that the linkage 82 can rock the nozzle through angles of such magnitude that the orifice 80a will discharge jets of air against the entire bobbin 6 before the latter advances beyond the nozzle. If desired, the conveyor which is used with the structure of FIG. 7 can operate intermittently so that each bobbin 6 is caused to dwell in the position of FIG. 7 for an interval of time which suffices to insure satisfactory cleaning of the entire bobbin.

If the nozzle '80 of FIG. 7 is substituted for the nozzle 11 of FIG. 4, the terminals 84 of the motor '83 will be connected with the terminals 85 shown in FIG. 4 so that the nozzle 80 will be rocked only when the electromagnet 22 is energized.

It was found that the apparatus of my invention improves the efficiency of spinning frames, twisters and like textile machines. By removing foreign matte-r from mandrels 4 before such mandrels receive barrels 7, I insure that each barrel can be properly fitted onto the respective mandrel. Also, by removing foreign matter from full bobbins 6, I insure that each such bobbin is clean prior to removal from the belt 1 at the evacuating station 94. Removal of foreign matter from barrels 7 prior to formation of bobbins 6 is also desirable for obvious reasons. My cleaning unit is particularly beneficial to the operation of transfer machines at the stations 94 and 95' of FIG. 4 or 8. This cleaning unit occupies very little room and can be readily installed in many presently known types of textile machines without necessitating substantial alterationsin design and/or operation. Also, and particularly if the cleaning unit comprises a suction head (such as the suction head 26 shown in FIG. 2), streams of air discharged by its nozzle or nozzles will not cause undesirable circulation of dust-laden air in the area where the machine embodying such cleaning unit is installed.

It is further clear that the blowers 12, 12' and compressor 43 may be replaced by suction generating devices and that each of the nozzles 10, 11, 24, 4! 80 can be replaced by a suction head which sucks air in the same way as described in connection with the suction head 26 of FIG. 3. Thus, it is immaterial whether the cleaning unit uses compressed air or operates with suction, as long as the streams of air are strong enough to separate from the parts 4, 6 and/or 7 all such foreign matter which could interfere with proper application of barrels 7 and/ or with further processing of full bobbins.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a textile machine, particularly in a spinning frame or twister, conveyor means including a conveying element provided with holders for barrels of bobbins and arranged to advance such holders past a loading station where the barrels are applied to holders and an evacuating station Where bobbins formed on such barrels are remove from the respective holders; and a pneumatic cleaning unit adjacent to the path of travel of said holders and comprising means for generating and directing air streams against the holders of said conveying element.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit is located upstream of said loading station so that said air streams impinge directly against the holders of said conveying element.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit is located upstream of said evacuating station so that said air streams impinge against the bobbins.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit comprises at least one nozzle which directs streams of air in a direction against the holders of said conveying element and means for supplying compressed air to said nozzle, said nozzle being located immediately upstream of one of said stations.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein said cleaning unit comprises at least one nozzle for directing streams of air against empty holders and at least one nozzle for directing streams of air against barrels on such holders.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit comprises at least one suction head arranged to draw streams of air from the area surrounding an adjacent holder and to thus collect impurities contained in such streams.

7. A structure 'as set forth in claim 6, wherein said cleaning unit further comprises a nozzle located opposite said suction head and having orifice means for directing streams of air against a holder located between said suction head and said nozzle, and means for supplying compressed air to said nozzle.

'8. A structure as set forth in claim 7, wherein said suction head is positioned to draw in at least some of the air discharged by said nozzle.

9. A structure as set forth in claim 7, wherein said cleaning unit comprises a blower having an outlet connected with the means for supplying compressed air to said nozzle and an inlet, piping connecting said inlet with said su i n head, and filter means provided in said 8 piping to separate foreign matter from air which is drawn in by said suction head.

10. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit comprises a pair of nozzles located at the opposite sides of the path of travel of holders on said conveying element and means for supplying compressed air to said nozzles, said nozzles having orifices closely adjacent to said path.

11. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit comprises at least one nozzle having orifice means adjacent to the path of travel of said holders, :1 source of compressed air, pipe means connecting said source with said nozzle, adjustable valve means provided in said pipe means to regulate the flow of air to said nozzle, and operating means for adjusting said valve means.

12. A structure as set forth in claim 11, further comprising control means for said operating means, said control means comprising detector means arranged to effect opening of said valve means at such intervals that the streams of air discharged by said nozzle are directed against the adjoining holders.

13. A structure as set forth in claim 12, wherein said detector means comprises mechanical detector means.

14. A structure as set forth in claim 13, wherein said detector means is arranged to effect opening of said valve means in response to bodily engagement with a holder or with a bobbin on such holder.

15. A structure as set forth in claim 13, wherein said conveying element comprises projections provided at predetermined intervals and engageable by said detector means to thereby initiate opening of said valve means.

1 6. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit comprises first nozzle means for directing streams of air against successive holders, second nozzle means for directing streams of said against successive bobbins, pipe means for supplying compressed air to said nozzle means, adjustable valve means in each of said pipe means, operating means for moving said valve means to open and closed positions, and detector means arranged to scan said conveying element and to actuate said operating means at such intervals that said first nozzle means automatic-ally discharges a stream of air when in registry with one of said holders and said second nozzle means automatically discharges a stream of air when in registry with one of said bobbins.

17. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit comprises at least one nozzle having an orifice positioned to direct 'a stream of air against a barrel which is adjacent thereto, and means for moving said nozzle with reference to said conveyor means so that said orifice moves in the longitudinal direction of the adjoining barrel.

18. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conveyor means is arranged to move said holders first in one direction to advance empty holders past said evacuating station and then past said loading station, and thereupon in the opposite direction to advance full bob bins first past said loading station and then past said evacuating station Where the bobbins are removed from the respective holders, said cleaning unit being d sposed between said stations and having means for cleaning the holders during travel of such holders in said one direction and means for cleaning full bobbins during travel of said holders in said opposite direction.

19. A structure as set forth in claim 18, wherein sa d conveying element is an endless flexible belt and wherein said holders are mandrels fixed to said belt and disposed in a common vertical plane.

20. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning unit comprises a plurality of devices arranged to direct streams of air against selected holders of said conveying element and a common source of compressed air connected with said devices.

(References on following page) References Cited 3,018,603 1/1962 'Rutz et a1. 5756 3,082,908 3/1963 Ingham 57--53 XR 1 243 071 iTATES PATENTS 3,266,231 8/ 1966 R0116! et a1. 57-56 XR l opson. 1,990,740 2/1935 Lonzo 2s-19 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,395,028 2/1946 AbbOtt et a1. 24241 XR 686, 5/1964 C 2,511,928 6/1950 Mansfield et a1. 5752 XR 975 555 3 19 1 Reiterer 15 3 1 FRANK 'y Exammer- 2,97'/,181 3/1961 Reiterer 5756 DONALD WATKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TEXTILE MACHINE, PARTICULARLY IN A SPINNING FRAME OR TWISTER, CONVEYOR MEANS INCLUDING A CONVEYING ELEMENT PROVIDED WITH HOLDERS FOR BARRELS OF BOBBINS AND ARRANGED TO ADVANCE SUCH HOLDERS PAST A LOADING STATION WHERE THE BARRELS ARE APPLIED TO HOLDERS AND AN EVACUATING STATION WHERE BOBBINS FORMED ON SUCH BARRELS ARE RE- 